Call for public sector strikes in Venezuela
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó has called for an escalating series of strikes to force President Nicolás Maduro to give up power.
After failing to instigate a military uprising, Mr Guaidó is now urging public employees to take action, saying stoppages would lead to a general strike.
The political crisis has led to more clashes on the streets of the capital Caracas, with anti-government protestors attacking armoured vehicles with stones and petrol bombs and police responding with tear gas and rubber bullets.
One woman has reportedly been killed.
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Democrats cry foul over refusal of Attorney General to testify
The US Attorney General William Barr has refused to testify to the Democratic-led House Judiciary Committee on his handling of the Mueller report into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
He was due to appear on Friday (NZT) but has objected to a plan for lawyers to be able to put questions to him rather than lawmakers.
Democrats have accused him of trying to stonewall Congress and the standoff raises the prospect that Mr Barr could be held in contempt of Congress.
Earlier Mr Barr was grilled by a Senate panel about his decision to clear President Donald Trump of obstruction of justice.
- AP
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Climate emergency declared in world first
The British parliament has become the first in the world to declare a climate emergency.
It's passed a symbolic motion, introduced by the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, recognising an urgent need to address the global climate crisis.
It comes amid a growing activist movement, led by young people who have staged school strikes and civil disobedience campaigns to demand action.
- BBC
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A new Queen for Thailand
Thailand has a new Queen.
In a surprise announcement King Maha Vajiralongkorn said he'd married his consort, who had been the deputy commander of his bodyguard unit.
Queen Suthida is the King's long-term partner and has been seen with him in public for many years, though their relationship has never before been officially acknowledged.
He has been married and divorced three times before and has seven children.
- BBC
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India braces for cyclone
Thousands of people are being evacuated from villages along India's northeast coastline ahead of a severe cyclone.
Cyclone Fani is heading towards the state of Orissa with wind speeds of up to 190 kilometres an hour.
It's expected to make landfall on Friday.
Officials have shut down operations at two major ports on the east coast, and thousands of rescuers are helping people evacuate low-lying areas.
- Reuters
Jawbone found of elusive ancient human
An ancient jawbone discovered in a cave high in the mountains of Tibet has been found to belong to a species of extinct human known as a Denisovan.
The 160,000-year-old jawbone fossil is the first evidence of Denisovans found outside a cave in Siberia, since the mysterious ancient human group was discovered in 2010.
Denisovans split from a shared lineage with Neanderthals about 400,000 years ago and seem to have passed on a gene that helps modern people cope at high elevations.
Details of the study are published in the journal Nature.
- BBC
